


Splish Splash

by vjs2259



Category: Frozen (2013)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-02-23
Updated: 2015-02-23
Packaged: 2018-03-14 17:01:04
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,899
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3418523
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/vjs2259/pseuds/vjs2259
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Anna takes Elsa on an adventure.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Splish Splash

“No, Anna, no! I won't do it, no matter how much you ask!” Queen Elsa of Arendelle stalked around the throne room. Small flakes of snow circled her head in an ominous cloud.

 

“It'll be fun!” protested Anna. “Besides, it's not like you don't play with water all the time.”

 

“Ice,” replied Elsa frostily. “And snow.” She glared at her sister's impish smile. “You can't splash snow.”

 

Anna tilted her head to one side, as if considering it. “You can. Kind of.” Dancing over towards her sister, who was outlined in the pale winter sunshine which streamed through the leaded glass window, she grasped both Elsa's hands. “It's a new thing,” she coaxed. “These springs are warm, and it's a beautiful spot. People say it's so relaxing. You're always saying you need to relax.”

 

Elsa was shaking her head, but a smile tugged at the corners of her mouth. “Why do you want this so much?”

 

Anna let go her sister's hands and stepped back. Turning away from the window so her face was half in shadow, she wrapped her arms around herself and said quietly. “It's just that we haven't had much time together lately.” Elsa reached for her, grasping one shoulder in silent sympathy, and Anna laughed. “I know, I know. You're the Queen and I'm engaged and we've had to open the castle and re-decorate and plan a wedding and run the kingdom....”

 

Elsa was shaking with laughter now and Anna gave her a short sharp hug. “So you'll come?”

 

“I can't,” she continued to protest. “It's so public. Won't there be a lot of people there?”

 

“Are you still having trouble with crowds?” asked Anna sympathetically. “You were fine with the ice rink, and the engagement announcement, and the trade delegations last month.”

 

“It's getting better,” Elsa admitted. “But we spent so much time alone growing up. And I spent so much time afraid of other people. Sometimes it just seems easier when I shut the door and shut them out.”

 

“But that's what we're going to do!” exclaimed Anna. “I have it all arranged. Just trust me. Grab a bathing costume, or at least something you don't mind getting wet, and meet me at the stables.”

 

Elsa raised an eyebrow. “Are we meeting Kristof?”

 

“No,” said Anna firmly. “This day is for girls only. But we need transport.” She tossed back her long braids and grinned. “We need Sven.”

 

Elsa grimaced as she entered the royal stables. The smell of horse and hay and reindeer was pervasive. Kristof was hitching Sven up to a small sleigh. He kept up a running commentary on the quality of the sleigh, the state of the snow, and cautionary notes on which was the best route to take. Sven listened carefully, snuffling and snorting as he lowered his head to assist in his own rigging out.

 

“Hello, Kristof,” said Elsa. She held out a hand with a sugar cube purloined from her tea tray.

 

Kristof shook his head. “You'll spoil him. Carrots are what he likes, anyway.” Sven lipped the sugar from Elsa's hand and crunched it with evident enjoyment. When Kristof offered him a carrot the reindeer turned his head away, gazing longingly at Elsa, who was having difficulty holding back her laughter.

 

“He likes sugar too,” she remarked, pulling a second cube from a pocket inside her cape. Sven eagerly nuzzled her until she held it out as well. Surreptitously she wiped her hand on the leather pants she'd donned over her bathing costume. She didn't normally wear such things but it seemed more practical for this sort of excusion. Eying the sleigh, noting the rough boards full of splinters, she congratulated herself on her foresight.

 

“Hello!” caroled Anna as she entered through the open stable door. Elsa noted the warm look that passed between her sister and Kristof along with a quick hand clasp. Both of their cheeks were flushed as they turned to Elsa. “Are you ready?” asked Anna, rapidly stowing a wicker basket in the back seat of the sleigh. “Cook insisted. She said you'd skipped breakfast again and would be starving after our swim.”

 

Elsa's smile froze but she nodded and peeked into the basket. “Custard tarts,” she said. “My favorite!”

 

“I'm not surprised,” said Anna. “She's known us since we were born, after all.” She smiled fondly at Kristof, “Is everything ready?”

 

He nodded and offered his hand to her to help her into the driving seat. Then he turned to Elsa and helped her in as well. “Be careful, “ he said to Anna. “The path to the spring is icy.”

 

Anna leaned over and kissed the top of his head. “I will. We'll be home in a few hours.” Lowering her voice she whispered, “Is everything arranged?”

 

Kristoff nodded, seemingly embarrassed by Elsa's presence into silence. He patted Sven on the neck and said gruffly, “Take care of them.”

 

Sven huffed and began to pull the sleigh towards the door. Elsa waved back at Kristoff since Anna was focused on her driving. She still didn't feel completely comfortable with the man, but Anna and Kristof's mutal affection was so obvious and the engagement made Anna so happy that Elsa ignored her own feelings. Her solitary upbringing made her uneasy with other people, athough she was working on overcoming her careful reticence. She sighed a little, quietly, and sat upright, hands crossed in her lap, watching the familiar frozen countryside pass by.

 

The path to the hot spring was ringed by hills, rocky outcroppings dotted with small pools crusted with ice. Green moss brightened the grey stones which lined the packed snow of the path. The road was wide and obviously well-traveled. Anna draped the reins over Sven's back. The reindeer ambled along with no need for direction or encouragement. Anna declared, “I don't know what Kristof was talking about, the driving is easy today!

 

“He worries about you,” Elsa said. She was relieved to see so few people on the road and her shoulders began to drop away from her ears. As she leaned back against the padded high back of the sleigh, she caught Anna smiling at her.

 

“We're almost there,” Anna announced. “Just around the next bend.” She leaned forward to pat Sven's neck. “Pull over just beyond the rock wall, Sven. There's some lichen you can snack on until we're ready for lunch.” Sven whuffled in pleasure and expertly wheeled the sleigh behind him through a small opening in the wall. Patches of lichen, grey and green, formed a patchwork on the ground. Anna jumped down from the vehicle and removed Sven's bridle and halter, coiling the leather pieces and reins and placing them on the seat. Elsa busied herself pulling out the lunch basket and a roll of soft towels wrapped in oilcloth. Anna picked up both their bags and hurried around the sleigh to join Elsa as the older girl gazed at the wisps of steam rising from the green-blue water.

 

“No one's here,” said Elsa in delight.

 

“Well, a few of the palace guards are outside that rock wall. And they'll close off the opening while we remain.” Anna pulled out a pile of blue-and-white striped fabric and wooden rods and quickly erected a small tent. “We change in here. It's pretty small, you go first.”

 

Elsa nodded shyly and ducked under the canvas flap. Emerging quickly she went to stand at the edge of the steaming water while Anna entered the tent. Her sister came up behind her and laid one hand on her shoulder. “There's a slope there, a soft sand path to the deepest part of the water.” She pointed to two stones near the center. “People use those as seats. The water swirls around the base of the rocks. It's very invigorating.” She took Elsa's hand and walked out into the water, tugging at her sister as she went.

 

They sat on the flat-topped stones and Elsa felt her muscles loosen. Anna had leaned back in the shallow water topping their perch and her red hair floated around her blissful face. It was a beautiful place. Elsa looked up into the sky where puffs of cloud floated in a sky as blue as the water surrounding her. As the sun climbed the air grew warmer, and Elsa grew slightly uncomfortable. Surreptitiously she lowered her hand into the steaming water and gave it an icy twirl. That was better.

 

They had lunch, then went back into the pool. This time there was splashing and laughter. Anna taught Elsa how to float on her back. The blue sky was mirrored in the blue pool, and Elsa felt like she was suspended between two worlds. She couldn't remember the last time she'd felt so at peace. And she'd been so reluctant to come! The idea of giving herself over to the element she'd fought so hard to control had been frightening. Even as her command of her powers had grown, her fear had not lessened. Fears grew when they weren't faced. Anna has been right. She often was.

 

They packed up everything in the sleigh and headed home just as the sun was sinking behind the far mountains. Elsa sighed and leaned against her sister. “Thank you,” she whispered, “for a perfect day.”

 

“It wasn't so bad, was it?” replied Anna with a grin.

 

“It was more private than I had expected,” said Elsa. “How fortunate the spring is bounded by all those rocks! It's almost like it was designed that way...” Her voice trailed off. Anna had grown silent. Anna was never silent. “What is it?” she asked.

 

“Well,” Anna finally said. “About those rocks...” She was looking straight ahead and her cheeks were flushed.

 

Elsa sat back from her sister and examined her closely. “What about the rocks?” Her eyebrows raised as she answered her own question. “Anna. Were those rocks...actually rocks?”

 

“No,” said Anna quickly. “Not as such. The pool's actually kind of out in the open. Most people who use it don't mind, but I thought for your first time you might be more comfortable, um, enclosed.” She smiled brightly as if trying to radiate confidence. “By friends.”

 

Elsa's mouth opened, then closed with a snap. She said weakly, “Rock trolls?”

 

Anna nodded. “I thought you wouldn't mind. After all, they're practically family.”

 

“They're weren't watching us, were they?” Elsa was flustered.

 

Anna gave her a sideways glance and a lop-sided grin. “No, they weren't watching.”

 

Elsa stared at her blankly, then said slowly, pitching her voice higher to overcome a growing rumble behind them. “So. All day today we were surrounded by your future in-laws. The backsides of your future in-laws.” The grinding noise was growing louder, and she saw that boulders were rolling down the road on either side of them, pacing Sven. She waved weakly at the ambulatory rocks. “Thank you,” she said. One or two of the larger rocks paused by their side, as if in salute, but the rest rolled on. Finally they were all ahead of the small sleigh. Sven snorted at the shards of lichen that floated up towards his nose. Elsa stared at the retreating stones and began to smile, then to laugh. Anna joined her, and the sounds of their mingled laughter echoed off the near hills and the far away mountains as they slowly made their way home.

 

 

 


End file.
